Locking shoe and mounting bracket for curl spring window balance system

Abstract

A curl spring sash shoe cassette improves upon the suggestions of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,353,548 and 5,463,793 by providing a mounting bracket that holds an uncurled length of the curl spring and is securely mounted on top of the shoe cassette to maintain an assembly of the shoe body, the curl spring, and the mount during shipment to a window manufacturer. The mount can receive two mounting screws to resist torque caused by curl springs and sash weight. The shoe is also improved to facilitate removal and reinsertion of sash pins into the tilt lock cams of the shoes and ensure that shoe body halves do not rotate relative to each other when sash tilting splays the body halves apart to lock them in a shoe channel.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a window sash counterbalance shoe containing a curl spring disposed with curled convolutions in the shoe and an uncurled length extending to a bracket mounted on a top of the shoe to support the uncurled length of the curl spring during shipment, the bracket having a mounting wall disposed so that a mounting screw can pass through the mounting wall and secure the mounting bracket to a back wall of a shoe channel, the improvement comprising:
 the mounting bracket having a spring holding wall normal to the mounting wall and disposed to rest on a top surface of the shoe above which the uncurled length of curl spring extends; 
 the spring holding wall and the uncurled length of curl spring being configured to interengage so that the uncurled spring length is held by the spring holding wall; 
 the spring holding wall extending approximately for the width of the curl spring along an edge of the top surface of the shoe so that the spring holding wall and the mounting wall cooperate to resist a pull exerted by the uncurled length of the curl spring; and 
 a brace extends normally from the spring holding wall so that the brace engages the top surface of the shoe in a region spaced from and parallel with the mounting wall. 
 
     
     
       2. The improvement of  claim 1  wherein the mounting wall of the bracket is formed with holes or slots to receive one or two mounting screws to prevent rotation of the mounting bracket from spring force exerted during window operation. 
     
     
       3. The improvement of  claim 1  wherein an interlock between the mounting bracket and the top surface of the shoe is configured to release the mounting bracket from the shoe automatically when the mounting bracket is secured to a back wall of the shoe channel. 
     
     
       4. The improvement of  claim 3  wherein the spring holding wall has a projection engaged in a laterally extending aperture in the uncurled length of the curl spring to allow the mounting bracket to move laterally of the shoe and the curl spring when the mounting wall is secured to the back wall of the shoe channel. 
     
     
       5. The improvement of  claim 1  wherein the mounting bracket is formed in right- and left-hand versions for deployment respectively on right- and left-hand sides of a sash to be counterbalanced so that right- and left-hand tilt latches of the sash respectively clear the right- and left-hand mounting brackets. 
     
     
       6. The improvement of  claim 1  wherein the top surface of the shoe has a pair of headed ridges, and the mounting wall has opposed projections that interlock under the headed ridges. 
     
     
       7. The improvement of  claim 6  wherein the headed ridges have end notches that automatically release the mounting wall projections when the mounting wall moves laterally of the top surface of the shoe as the mounting wall is secured to the back wall of the shoe channel. 
     
     
       8. A curl spring counterbalance shoe and mounting bracket combination comprising:
 the mounting bracket having a mounting wall that in a shipping position engages a top surface of a shoe containing curled convolutions of a curl spring; 
 the mounting bracket having a spring holder wall perpendicular to the mounting wall and also engaging the top surface of the shoe in the shipping position; 
 an uncurled length of the curl spring extending up one side of the shoe and along a face of the spring holder wall; 
 the uncurled length of the curl spring being attached to the spring holder wall so that the mounting wall and the spring retainer wall each resist a portion of the recurl force applied to the mounting bracket by the uncurled length of the curl spring; 
 the mounting bracket being interlocked with the top surface of the shoe so that the mounting bracket, when attached to the curl spring, is retained on the top surface of the shoe during shipment of the shoe, spring, and mounting bracket; and 
 a brace extends from the spring retainer wall parallel with the mounting wall so that the brace engages the top surface of the shoe spaced from the mounting wall and helps support the spring holder wall against a force exerted by the uncurled length of the curl spring. 
 
     
     
       9. The combination of  claim 8  wherein the mounting bracket is configured to receive two mounting screws to retain the mounting bracket against rotation during sash operation. 
     
     
       10. The combination of  claim 8  wherein the mounting bracket is handed so that one configuration of the mounting bracket is arranged on a right side of a sash and an opposite configuration of the mounting bracket is arranged on a left side of the sash, and the mounting brackets, when so arranged, provide clearance for movement of tilt latches on the sash. 
     
     
       11. The combination of  claim 8  wherein the mounting bracket and the top surface of the shoe are configured to interlock during shipment and to release the mounting bracket from the shoe automatically when the mounting bracket is mounted in the shoe channel. 
     
     
       12. The combination of  claim 11  wherein the top surface of the shoe has parallel headed ridges that interlock with opposed projections of the mounting wall, and notches in heads of the ridges allow the automatic release of the mounting bracket from the shoe when the mounting bracket moves laterally of the shoe during its mounting to the shoe channel. 
     
     
       13. The combination of  claim 8  wherein the uncurled length of the curl spring has an aperture engaging a projection on the spring holder wall, and the aperture is laterally wider than the projection to allow the bracket to move laterally of the top surface of the shoe while the projection remains engaged within the aperture. 
     
     
       14. The combination of  claim 8  wherein the mounting bracket is formed in right- and left-hand versions for deployment respectively on right- and left-hand sides of a sash to be counterbalanced so that right- and left-hand tilt latches of the sash respectively clear the right- and left-hand mounting brackets. 
     
     
       15. A curl spring shoe and mounting bracket combination comprising:
 the mounting bracket in a shipping position having a mounting wall interlocked with a top surface of the shoe; 
 a spring retainer wall perpendicular to the mounting wall being oriented to align with a side of the shoe from which an uncurled length of curl spring extends upward above the top surface of the shoe; 
 the spring retainer wall and the uncurled length of the curl spring being configured to interconnect so that the spring retainer wall holds and supports the uncurled length of the curl spring above the top surface of the shoe during shipment; 
 the interlock of the mounting wall with the top surface of the shoe allowing lateral movement of the mounting bracket along the top surface of the shoe; 
 the mounting wall interlock with the top surface of the shoe being released when the mounting wall moves laterally into engagement with a back wall of the shoe channel where the mounting wall is secured; and 
 a brace spaced from and parallel with the mounting wall extends perpendicularly from the spring retainer wall to engage the top surface of the shoe to help support the spring retainer wall against a force exerted by the uncurled length of the curl spring. 
 
     
     
       16. The combination of  claim 15  wherein the mounting wall is configured to receive two mounting screws to resist rotational force applied by the curl spring. 
     
     
       17. The combination of  claim 15  wherein the spring retainer wall has a projection that fits into an oblong hole in the uncurled length of the curl spring so that the projection can move laterally within the hole when the bracket moves laterally to release the interlock with the top surface of the shoe. 
     
     
       18. The combination of  claim 15  wherein the top of the shoe is formed with a pair of headed rails, and the mounting wall is formed with a pair of opposed projections interlocked under heads of the rails. 
     
     
       19. The combination of  claim 15  wherein end notches in the rail heads automatically release the interlock with the mounting wall when the bracket is moved laterally for attachment to the back wall of a shoe channel. 
     
     
       20. The combination of  claim 15  wherein the bracket is formed in right- and left-hand versions for deployment respectively on right- and left-hand sides of a sash to be counterbalanced so that right- and left-hand tilt latches of the sash respectively clear the right- and left-hand mounting brackets. 
     
     
       21. A curl spring sash shoe cassette for a window assembly, the sash shoe cassette comprising:
 a body defining a curl spring bearing surface, a cam aperture, and a recess defined in a first surface of the body and by a ramped surface, said recess being adjacent and coupled to the cam aperture at a first end of the recess, wherein the ramped surface is inclined from the cam aperture toward the first surface;   a spring rotatably disposed adjacent the curl spring bearing surface;   a cam rotatably disposed within the cam aperture, the cam defining a cam slot having bearing walls, the cam being rotatable from a locked position to unlocked position, wherein the cam slot is aligned with the recess when the cam is in the unlocked position and not aligned with the recess when the cam is in the locked position.    
     
     
       22. A curl spring sash shoe cassette of claim 21 wherein the recess has a pair of sides which are generally parallel to a travel direction of the window assembly.  
     
     
       23. A curl spring sash shoe cassette of claim 22 wherein the recess has an internal surface generally perpendicular to the pair of sides.  
     
     
       24. A curl spring sash shoe cassette of claim 22 wherein the ramped surface is defined between the pair of sides.  
     
     
       25. A curl spring sash shoe cassette of claim 21 wherein the spring defines a coupling aperture.  
     
     
       26. A curl spring window balance having a shoe cassette configured to be positioned within a jamb channel of a window frame to facilitate the movement of a window sash within the window frame along a longitudinal axis that extends parallel to the jamb channel, the shoe cassette comprising:
 a body comprising a spring bearing cavity including a spring bearing surface, a cam aperture with an axis generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and a recess in a first side of the body, the recess defined by a pair of opposed first side walls and a ramped bottom surface, the recess adjoining the cam aperture at a first end of the recess, the ramped bottom surface being inclined away from the first end of the recess toward the first side of the body;   a curl spring rotatably disposed within the spring bearing cavity, the curl spring having an axis of rotation perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;   a cam rotatably disposed within the cam aperture, the cam defining a slot between a pair of second side walls, the cam being rotatable from a locked position to unlocked position, wherein each of the second side walls is aligned with a corresponding one of the first side walls when the cam is in the unlocked position.    
     
     
       27. A curl window balance of claim 26 wherein the cam is coupled to a moveable locking member configured to engage the jamb channel.  
     
     
       28. A curl spring window balance of claim 26 wherein the spring defines a coupling aperture.  
     
     
       29. A curl spring window balance of claim 26 wherein the ramped bottom surface is adjacent a second end of the recess opposite the first end.  
     
     
       30. A curl spring window balance of claim 26 wherein the opposed first side walls are generally parallel.  
     
     
       31. A curl spring window balance of claim 26 wherein the recess is further defined by a surface generally perpendicular to the opposed first side walls.  
     
     
       32. A curl spring window balance having a shoe cassette configured to be positioned within a jamb channel of a window frame to facilitate the movement of a window sash within the window frame along a longitudinal axis that extends parallel to the jamb channel, the shoe cassette comprising:
 a body comprising a spring bearing cavity including a spring bearing surface, a cam aperture with an axis generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and a recess in a first side of the body, the recess defined by a pair of opposed first side walls and a ramped bottom surface, the recess adjoining the cam aperture at a first end of the recess, the ramped bottom surface being inclined relative to the first end of the recess and extending to the first side of the body;   a curl spring rotatably disposed within the spring bearing cavity, the curl spring having an axis of rotation perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;   a cam rotatably disposed within the cam aperture, the cam defining a slot between a pair of second side walls, the cam being rotatable from a locked position to unlocked position, wherein each of the second side walls is aligned with a corresponding one of the first side walls when the cam is in the unlocked position.    
     
     
       33. A curl spring window balance having a shoe cassette configured to be positioned within a jamb channel of a window frame to facilitate the movement of a window sash within the window frame along a longitudinal axis that extends parallel to the jamb channel, the shoe cassette comprising:
 a body comprising a spring bearing cavity including a spring bearing surface, a cam aperture with an axis generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and a recess in a first side of the body being defined by a pair of opposed first side walls and a bottom, the recess adjoining the cam aperture at a first end of the recess, the bottom comprising a first bottom surface being inclined away from the first end of the recess and extending toward the first side of the body;   a curl spring rotatably disposed within the spring bearing cavity, the curl spring having an axis of rotation perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;   a cam rotatably disposed within the cam aperture, the cam defining a slot between a pair of second side walls, the cam being rotatable from a locked position to unlocked position, wherein each of the second side walls is aligned with a corresponding one of the first side walls when the cam is in the unlocked position.    
     
     
       34. The curl spring window balance of claim 33 wherein the bottom further comprises a second bottom surface that is generally perpendicular to the opposed first side walls.  
     
     
       35. The curl spring window balance of claim 34 wherein the second bottom surface is defined between the cam aperture and the first bottom surface.  
     
     
       36. The curl spring window balance of claim 35 wherein the opposed first side walls are generally parallel.  
     
     
       37. The curl spring window balance of claim 36 wherein the first bottom surface extends to the first side of the body.